Mayo look to avoid capital punishment on Saturday

Fri, Feb 05, 2016

It was not the start to the National Football League that new Mayo manager Stephen Rochford would have hoped for last weekend, but Rochford was honest in his views on what went wrong last Sunday. Speaking to the Mayo Advertiser this week Rochford said: "Obviously the scoreline tells a story of being second best, having reviewed the video, you know the second quarter of the game, I would be very disappointed with because 15 or so minutes we were level and Cork went into a period where they couldn't miss and in that time we missed three or maybe four of what we'd call softer or easier chances, and if we had capitalised on those chances we could have really been within touching distance of four points at half time which would have left us in a more sprightly manner for the second half. But the way things materialise if you don't take your chances in this division, you're going to be punished and we met a Cork team that hit a lot of very sweet scores."

School is back in session

Fri, Feb 05, 2016

If Stephen Rochford had any notion that the Mayo manager’s job was going to be a bed of roses and that the press and public would be forgiving for the settling in period then he was met with a rude awakening in Pairc Ui Rinn, Cork, last Sunday. On top of Mayo’s lethargic and very under par performance, three more players were added to the enormous injury/unavailable list, and serious question marks were asked about the Mayo medical team’s decision to leave Lee Keegan on the field after a head collision with Cork power house Eoghan Cadogan.

It really was a nightmare first round national league debut for the new manager and one which left him a forlorn figure after the final whistle. Let’s deal with the last matter first. I am glad the county board and medical team have put their hands up and admitted they made an error with Keegan. Lee Keegan is a warrior, you will probably find that half of the blood in his body is green, he epitomises all that is good about Mayo football, a quiet unassuming man off the pitch, a tiger on it. Keegan was captaining Mayo for the first time last Sunday and truly did not want to look like he was throwing in the towel despite being worse for wear. He fought with the medics to stay on the field, he did not want to succumb to Cork and as a result he was left on the field. It was only some minutes later we realised he was in trouble when we quite literally watched him wobble off. The most important points here are firstly that he will make a full recovery, secondly that the necessary parties admitted their mistake, and thirdly that a lesson will be learned and it will not happen again. Despite the negative publicity and comments after the game we have to realise we have one of the best if not the best medical team in intercounty football.

Coen ready to answer the captain’s call

Fri, Feb 05, 2016

Tomorrow evening in Croke Park, if all things go to plan, Darren Coen will be standing half-way up the Hogan Stand looking out on the field of the greatest victory of his club's history. Does he have a speech written ready for that moment? No, Coen will be shooting from the hip like he has on the field this season and in his speeches after wins in Mayo and Connacht. "No I won't think about that, I got a bit of slagging about my speeches already this year, they might have been a bit off the cuff, but look I won't change the routine, whatever comes out will come out, and hopefully I'll get the chance to go up the steps and relish it, and it'll be a dream come true, but it's all about winning at the end of the day as a team," he told the Mayo Advertiser last week.

Hollymount-Carramore look to become local heros

Fri, Feb 05, 2016

One man who will have surely appreciated Hollymount-Carramore captain Darren Coen's sideline effort that he floated over the bar in their All Ireland semi-final win a fortnight ago is the man who is charged with plotting Coen's downfall in Croke Park on Saturday afternoon, Kerry legend Maurice Fitzgearld is in charge of the St Mary's from Cahirciveen and they stand in the way of Hollymount-Carramore's attempt to make history.

The man in charge of the Mayo boys looking to take down the hotly fancied Kerry outfit is Tom Connelly, and he has guided his charges on an adventure they will never forget through Mayo and Connacht glory so far. This time last year Hollymount-Carramore were picking up the pieces after coming up just short in the Mayo final the previous autumn, but they regrouped and came back stronger this year and aided in their championship preparations by playing in the top division of league football in Mayo.

McCormack is ready to lead the march on Croke Park

Fri, Feb 05, 2016

On Sunday afternoon one of the greats of Ardnaree's past Fr Peter Quinn will be laid to rest in St Patrick's cemetery in Kilglass. The current crop of Ardnaree players will be hoping that by the time Fr Quinn, who won All Ireland medals with Mayo in 1950 and 51, is laid to rest they will have followed in his footsteps and walked the staircase in Croke Park and become All Ireland champions.

Ardnaree aiming to make history

Fri, Feb 05, 2016

It has been a long journey for Ardnaree over the past 12 months, from the banks of the Moy to the banks of the Royal Canal, which will end tomorrow afternoon. The north Mayo men will go looking to create a little bit of history and become the first Mayo side to claim the All Ireland junior club title.

Standing in their way are Kerry and Munster champions Templenoe and they promise to pose a serious test to Declan O'Dea's outfit. For one day only, it will be the Mayo side who will be playing in green and gold against Kerry opposition in Croke Park, and the Ardnaree faithful will be looking to captain Eoin McCormack, old stagers Noeilie Beattie and Shane Timlin, among others to drive them towards success.

Mayo look to keep up winning start

Fri, Feb 05, 2016

For the second week in a row the Mayo ladies senior footballers will be facing the same opposition as their male counterparts, but unlike the men last weekend the Mayo ladies left Cork with the points in the bag thanks to a seven point win over the All Ireland champions.

Ted Webb trials for u16 players

Fri, Feb 05, 2016

Trials for the Mayo u16 (Ted Webb) divisional teams will take place on Sunday next February 7, Sunday February 14 and Sunday February 21. Players born in 2000 and considered by their clubs to be of potential county standard only should attend.

The trials will be held in the following divisional locations: West Mayo: Breaffy; East Mayo: Kiltimagh; North Mayo: Lacken; South Mayo: Ballinrobe (Secondary school pitch). Trials will commence at 11am players should be in attendance at 10.30am. Please note that players from Parke should attend trials in East Mayo and players from Balla, Ballintubber and Tourmakeady should attend trials in South Mayo.

Red wave crushes Mayo on Leeside

Sun, Jan 31, 2016

There’s nothing won on the last day of January of note, but Mayo will hope that this will be the worst day they have this year as Cork ran riot on Leeside. Every game is different and Mayo came into it shorn of a number of key men that will surely be big players later on this year, but it still must be taken on its merits as a contest over 70 minutes and in this contest Mayo were so far second best that they game was never a contest from as early as the 20th minute when Cork put themselves three points clear.

Keegan injury leaves cloud on an already gloomy day for Mayo

Sun, Jan 31, 2016

The long road home from Cork gave Stephen Rochford plenty time to think over what had just happened in his first game on the road in charge of Mayo after he watched his side get beaten out the gate by nine points in their league opener.

O'Shea back as Mayo head to Cork

Sat, Jan 30, 2016

Aidan O’Shea will play his first football in Mayo colours since last years All Ireland semi-final replay defeat to Dublin when Mayo take on Cork in Páirc Ui Rinn on Sunday. The Breaffy man has been picked at centre-half-forward in Rochford’s first National Football League team.

Time to get down to business for Mayo

Fri, Jan 29, 2016

Mayo get their National Football League campaign under way on Sunday away to Cork in Páirc Uí Rinn, and for new manager Stephen Rochford it is going to the first major test of his side's credentials in the new season. Rochford will be dealing from a slightly rigged deck when he makes his first team selection, with no players from Castlebar Mitchels available to him, or from Hollymout-Carramore and Ardnaree who have booked their places in their respective All Ireland club finals.

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